“Looks a little doubtful, Luther.”He grinned showing a panorama of missing teeth. “It does, Sarn’t, but somebody has to try it.”She held her...mug out while he filled it halfway and waited for him to fill his.“Fallen comrades.”They each sipped a bit of the moonshine.“Smoother than it looks. Strong flavor though.”“Maybe I need to cut back on aging it a bit. I’ll mix a little more ‘raw’ into this and it’ll be fine.”“Yeah, I think that’d work. Beats all hell out of that vanilla and orange peel. Just watch out for extremes either way.”“I will. And good women, too.”“Yes, of course! Anyway, Liz is upstairs. She wanted to talk to you before you head over to Jocelyn’s.”“I’ll either be home really late or possibly stay the night.”“Just be smart, Mike.”“I will. Jocelyn and I have talked a lot and we’re both on the same page. No misunderstandings.”“Good. Did Nancy ever talk to you?”“She did, but I don’t see any future there unless she can get past her problems. The same is true for Angie,. ') The only other big one was 'What ifLeslie's therapy doesn't work?', but that wasn't something he could doanything about.It struck him that he was thirteen years old and actively looking forthings to worry about. No, that was not what normal kids his age did.Then again, if he were normal in any respect, his life would be muchdifferent.Smiling, he decided that it was too early to wake up, so he went back tosleep until other people moving around the house reawakened him. Aftermorning cleansing. The hairpin. An old man with a taste for women's things isn't something I like to see.(Oibore takes the hairpin out of his topknot and looks at it for a moment.)Oibore: Ha ha. Maybe you're right. Thanks for the drink. It's time I got going.Kuma: Going? Where to?Oibore: To Kyoto. It's been a while; I miss my daughter.Kuma: Didn't know you had any family to go back to.Oibore: No, I'm visiting her grave.Kuma (surprised): Then that hairpin is your remembrance of her... (Oibore only smiles.)Kuma:....